Bulletin E-Edition:
This article has been corrected. Read correction.
Dan Rohrer, owner of Rohrer Manufacturing Inc. in Prineville, demonstrates the Man Saver Post Driver in front of his company’s new 3,600-square-foot facility, where the device is manufactured. The driver uses air compression powered by a portable generator to drive posts into the ground.
Jeff McDonald / The Bulletin
Fence-making made easy
Powell Butte inventor’s tool has become an industry necessity
By Jeff McDonald / The Bulletin
Published: January 27. 2009 4:00AM PSTPRINEVILLE — Dan Rohrer’s labor-saving device is as good as its name.
The air-powered Man Saver Post Driver takes all the work out of pounding a fence post into the ground, said Rohrer, 73, who engineered and patented the device in 1997.
He got the idea for the device when a fellow rancher complained of a bad back. The rancher needed an easier way to build a fence, Rohrer said.
Rohrer is an inventor by nature — he has about 10 patents to his name — and he is a part-time rancher.
He raises three Angus cattle, seven horses and 18 Asian water buffalo on his 80-acre ranch in Powell Butte, he said. He also makes and repairs guns.
The air-compression device fastens on the top of a metal or wood post, which can range in size up to 3½ inches in diameter. The post driver uses air compression powered by a portable generator to drive posts into the ground.
On level ground, a pair of ranch hands can erect between 50 and 75 steel posts in a day using the post driver, he said. The T-shaped posts are used to support either barbed wire or woven wire mesh.
“Farmers and ranchers use it. So do highway crews. It can be used anyplace you have to drive something into the ground,” he said.
Sales have been steady, allowing the company to grow at least 15-20 percent every year since 1997, Rohrer said. The company sells 125 or more of the devices per month nationwide and internationally. The items, which cost an average of about $600, are sold worldwide online.
The company moved last September from his Powell Butte ranch, where it had been based since 1997, to a 3,600-square-foot industrial facility in Prineville. Employees hand-make all the parts that make up the post driver, he said.
“There was obviously a need for it,” he said of his labor-saving invention. “For older farmers and ranchers who have got a lot of fence, it makes a huge difference.”
The device is popular in states such as Texas, Missouri and California, which have large land masses over which ranchers need to install fences, Rohrer said. Future growth plans include increasing sales in Australia and Canada, Rohrer said.
The post driver was featured in a commercial that aired in December on ESPN during the Wrangler National Rodeo Finals. The spot garnered approximately 15.5 million viewers on ESPN, said Wendie Every, owner of Every Idea, whose firm does marketing and public relations for Rohrer.
Every responded to the following questions via e-mail, with input from Rohrer.
Q: Are you impacted by the recession? If so, how? If not, why not?
A: At this point, sales of the Man Saver Post Driver have not been impacted by the recession. The bulk of our business is from the ag industry and this product is viewed as a basic tool for doing business, not a luxury item. It is as fundamental to those fencing large amounts of land as a computer is to running any business. It substantially reduces injury and possible workman’s comp claims.
Q: What role does technology play in your business? How will it shape future growth?
A: Technology plays a large role in production, sales and in marketing. We use technologically advanced machining techniques and sophisticated computerized equipment to produce precision parts. We use an e-commerce Web site to sell and market our product, including pay-per-click advertising and highly targeted banner ads to reach specific target markets. We use online newsletter delivery, tracking tools and online surveys to further tap into our audience and increase sales. All sales orders are taken online or over the phone, there is no wholesale or retail distribution. Future use of manufacturing technology will ensure higher profit margins while the latest communication technology will continue to increase sales and enable us to stay in touch with our growing global audience.
Q: How does the product work?
A: The post driver is connected with an air hose to a small portable air compressor. You slide the post driver over the post, tighten the wing nut and hold it upright so it drives straight. Once in position, just flip the switch and the driver pneumatically drives the post into the ground. The Man Saver does all the work.
Jeff McDonald can be reached at 541-383-0323 or at jmcdonald@bendbulletin.com.
This article has been corrected. Read correction.
ARTICLE ACCESS: This article is among those available to all readers. Many more articles are available only to E-Edition members. Sign up today!
blog comments powered by Disqus
